Special Deal: You've gotten 25% off by being a viewer of our partner!

Claim Discount
Sign up for free
This is a preview of the Shortform book summary of How We Live Is How We Die by Pema Chödrön.
Read Full Summary

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of How We Live Is How We Die

In How We Live Is How We Die, Pema Chödrön explores the Buddhist concept of bardos, transitional states between life and death. She argues that by understanding and embracing these states, we can live more fully and die with less fear. Chödrön suggests that our approach to life directly influences our experience of death and the bardos. She offers practical advice on how to prepare for these transitions, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness, compassion, and letting go of...

Want to learn the ideas in How We Live Is How We Die better than ever?

Unlock the full book summary of How We Live Is How We Die by signing up for Shortform.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x better by:

  • Being 100% clear and logical: you learn complicated ideas, explained simply
  • Adding original insights and analysis, expanding on the book
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
READ FULL SUMMARY OF HOW WE LIVE IS HOW WE DIE

Here's a preview of the rest of Shortform's How We Live Is How We Die summary:

How We Live Is How We Die Summary Core Concepts & Terminology

This section will cover several key concepts and terminology used throughout “How We Live Is How We Die.” We'll start with foundational Buddhist concepts, followed by key terminology used in the book, and finally cover core concepts and practices.

Foundational Buddhist Concepts

Chödrön introduces the Buddhist concept of "co-emergent ignorance," which describes the misunderstanding that we are separate, permanent entities. She argues that we're unaware we're neither solid, enduring beings nor separate from what we perceive.

(Shortform note: In The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, the term “co-emergent ignorance” is presented as a technical Tibetan translation of a late Indian classification of ignorance. The entry notes that this form of ignorance is said to arise simultaneously with each moment of consciousness and its associated mental factors, and is therefore described as beginningless, innate, and nonconceptual.)

She also explains the five primary wisdoms in Buddhism, which are associated with the five major kleshas: craving, aggression, ignorance, jealousy, and pride. There are five primary forms of wisdom:

1....

Try Shortform for free

Read full summary of How We Live Is How We Die

Sign up for free

How We Live Is How We Die Summary The States of Living, Dying, and Bardo

In this section, we’ll explore how to prepare for death and navigate the bardo states.

Ready for a Skillful Death

Chödrön explains that embracing impermanence and life's movement prepares us for death. Death is one part of the never-ending succession of bardos, the amazing cycle of life and death. To have complete intimacy with living, we must also fully embrace death. If we tune in to how birth and death happen in every moment, we'll realize we don't stand to lose anything.

(Shortform note: While embracing impermanence can help us prepare for death, it can also be dangerous for some people. In an academic paper, researchers found that some people who intensely focused on the idea that they “don’t stand to lose anything” experienced dissociation or a sense of hopelessness. This suggests that while embracing impermanence can be beneficial, it’s important to approach it with caution and self-awareness.)

Then we can live without fear and have immense compassion for everyone else on this earth who is struggling, worried, and scared. When we free our hearts and minds, we'll be better able to support...

How We Live Is How We Die

Additional Materials

Related Shortform Content

No Death, No Fear
Thich Nhat Hahn

What if your deepest fear—the fear of death and nonexistence—is based on a misunderstanding of reality? In No Death, No Fear, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh reveals how our conventional views of birth and death create needless suffering; instead, he offers a liberating alternative: We are not separate, permanent selves that begin and end, but manifestations of an interconnected reality that continuously transforms without ever really disappearing.

Nhat Hanh shows how recognizing our true nature beyond birth and death can transform anxiety into peace. Our guide distills his wisdom into accessible principles that you can apply immediately, whether you’re confronting your own mortality, grieving a loss, or seeking freedom from existential fear. We explore how Nhat Hanh’s insights on impermanence and inter-being relate to modern neuroscience, parallel other spiritual traditions, and find applications in health care and grief counseling—helping you discover that true freedom lies not in denying death, but in transcending the boundaries we place between life and death.

Death; An Inside Story
Sadhguru

Someday, you’re going to die. This is an obvious, unavoidable fact of life—yet almost everyone in modern society has implicitly agreed to ignore it. According to spiritual teacher Sadhguru, this reluctance to acknowledge death leads to enormous and unnecessary suffering. He argues that if you form a peaceful relationship to your own death, you’ll be empowered to live a more balanced, joyful life. More than that, it’ll help you prepare for your death—and what comes afterward.

In this guide, we’ll explain Sadhguru’s vision of the universe, including the nature of the human spirit and the afterlife. We’ll also detail some of the spiritual practices he suggests to soften and overcome death-related fears. In our commentary, we’ll compare Sadhguru’s spiritual ideas to those of major Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, to build a bigger picture of what people believe about death. Additionally, we’ll draw on psychological research that offers a more secular perspective on Sadhguru’s ideas.

The Way of Zen
Alan Watts

Though most of us have a passing familiarity with the concept of Zen—enough to know that we’d probably like to have more of it in our lives—few of us really know what “Zen” means or could articulate how Zen Buddhism describes reality and human life. Philosopher Alan Watts explains the major principles and the history of Zen Buddhism in The Way of Zen.

First published in 1957, the book explains the schools of thought from which Zen originated, breaks down its most foundational principles, and describes how you can experience Zen in your everyday life. (Spoiler alert: Watts thinks that you don’t have to spend your days in meditation or contemplation to make it work!)

In this guide, we’ll examine what Zen is, uncover its principles, and describe how to begin experiencing it. We’ll also compare Watts’s interpretations of Zen ideas to other scholars’ explanations, and we’ll compare his ideas to other theories about how we perceive and experience the world.

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free

What Our Readers Say

This is the best summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People I've ever read. The way you explained the ideas and connected them to other books was amazing.
Learn more about our summaries →

Shortform Exercise: Understanding Impermanence

Reflect on the concept of impermanence and how it shapes your view of life and death.

How do you understand the concept of impermanence in your own life? Can you identify specific experiences that remind you of life's constant changes?

Try Shortform for free

Read full summary of How We Live Is How We Die

Sign up for free